TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints
T2 - a network approach
AU - Gilfoyle, Meghan
AU - Salsberg, Jon
AU - Macfarlane, Anne
AU - Mccarthy, Miriam
AU - Maccarron, Padraig
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.
PY - 2025/2/16
Y1 - 2025/2/16
N2 - Background The value of a participatory approach to the generation of evidence for health and social services from a moral, methodological and policy level continues to gain recognition globally. Trust is a crucial mechanism in the participatory health research (PHR) process and is strongly influenced by context. However, gaps remain in conceptualising and operationalising trust over time in PHR partnerships. Objective This case study seeks to address these gaps by exploring the evolution of trust multidimensionally across two timepoints. Setting and participants Participants in a PHR project called the Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Ignite Network in Ireland (n=57 (T1); n=56 (T2)) were invited to complete a network survey at two timepoints. The PPI Ignite Network had local and national partners. Network measures Several core social network measures were calculated at both timepoints to characterise the differences between trust dimensions and between local and national partners. Results Subtle changes were observed across most network measures over the two timepoints. While there was a slight decrease in the number of connections for each trust dimension throughout the PPI Ignite Network, connections that were consistently nominated in both timepoints increased slightly. Some trust dimensions, such as vulnerability and integrity, were more similar, while others, like integrity and shared values, visions and goals, differed greatly, where national partners consistently received more incoming connections compared with local partners. Conclusion These findings (1) provide empirical support for using social network analysis to operationalise trust comprehensively and multidimensionally over time in a participatory partnership, (2) offer nuanced insights into the trust development process within the PPI Ignite Network and (3) enhance our understanding of trust in the community-based participatory research model.
AB - Background The value of a participatory approach to the generation of evidence for health and social services from a moral, methodological and policy level continues to gain recognition globally. Trust is a crucial mechanism in the participatory health research (PHR) process and is strongly influenced by context. However, gaps remain in conceptualising and operationalising trust over time in PHR partnerships. Objective This case study seeks to address these gaps by exploring the evolution of trust multidimensionally across two timepoints. Setting and participants Participants in a PHR project called the Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Ignite Network in Ireland (n=57 (T1); n=56 (T2)) were invited to complete a network survey at two timepoints. The PPI Ignite Network had local and national partners. Network measures Several core social network measures were calculated at both timepoints to characterise the differences between trust dimensions and between local and national partners. Results Subtle changes were observed across most network measures over the two timepoints. While there was a slight decrease in the number of connections for each trust dimension throughout the PPI Ignite Network, connections that were consistently nominated in both timepoints increased slightly. Some trust dimensions, such as vulnerability and integrity, were more similar, while others, like integrity and shared values, visions and goals, differed greatly, where national partners consistently received more incoming connections compared with local partners. Conclusion These findings (1) provide empirical support for using social network analysis to operationalise trust comprehensively and multidimensionally over time in a participatory partnership, (2) offer nuanced insights into the trust development process within the PPI Ignite Network and (3) enhance our understanding of trust in the community-based participatory research model.
KW - Community-Based Participatory Research
KW - Health
KW - SOCIAL MEDICINE
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85218110790&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088355
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088355
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85218110790
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 15
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 2
M1 - e088355
ER -
